I started GTG-ing tactical grip (pronate with thumbs over the bar) pullups as the new RKC requirements call for each male candidate to perform 5 dead hang pullups or chinups. I elected to do tactical pullups as these are a bit more difficult yet easy on my elbows. Four years ago I worked up to 9 before injuring my elbows from over doing it. For now its just twice a day going to max before failure.
Having hit 40 sets of 6 reps without extra rest, I moved up to 7 rep sets. Unfortunately I only remember on the 7th set doing the next 20 sets with the new increment. Definitely much harder similar to the jump from 5 to 6 rep sets. Once again I must work up to 40 sets before incrementing to 8 rep sets.
Saturday 11/26/2011
24kg MaxVo2 Snatch :
7 reps/set, 15 sec work/15 rest:
26 sets, 4 mins extra rest
10 sets, 4 mins extra rest
4 sets, 2 mins extra rest
Total: 280 reps/30 mins
Monday 11/28/2011
24kg MaxVo2 Snatch :
7 reps/set, 15 sec work/15 rest:
20 sets, 3 mins extra rest
6 sets, 2 mins extra rest
6 sets, 2 mins extra rest
4 sets, 2 mins extra rest
4 sets
Total: 280 reps/30 mins
Saturday 12/4/2011
24kg MaxVo2 Snatch :
7 reps/set, 15 sec work/15 rest:
10 sets, 2.5 mins extra rest
6 sets, 2 mins extra rest
4 sets, 2 mins extra rest
6 sets, 4 mins extra rest
4
Total: 210 reps/25.5 mins
Major backsliding having taken 4 days off. No excuses.
Olympic weightlifting is on hold for at least six months as I focus strictly on kettlebell training. I had too many nagging injuries (right knee, left shoulder, left hip) that have since gone away since resting for a few weeks and then transitioning to kettlebell for the last two weeks.
A further impetus for putting down the O-lift training is work has been a lot more demanding with late night and week-end meetings that require extra preparation. My kbell training sessions are now under 45 minutes from start to finish versus a minimum 1.5 hours for the O-lifts.
At the moment I have been focusing on snatching the 24kg bell looking to get as close as possible to the SSST (Secret Service Snatch Test: 200 24kg snatches in under 10 minutes) before I turn 60. One of my students, ten years younger, succeeded with this challenge via a program of Max Vo2 I recommended. Well its time to follow my own advice. Prior to a trip overseas I was able to to do 40 sets of 5 rep/set with 15sec work/ 15secs rest protocol. Since returning and only training twice over four week period I had some serious back sliding. Here is where I am now:
I found a few years ago that resting after the first session and then doing mini MaxVo2 sessions gets the volume up without injury. A five minute Z-Health R-Phase warm-up and quick shower afterward got me through this in 45 minutes.
I've been off the blogosphere for over six months now due to work and family and am now back. My training continued as I focused over this time towards breaking the New England 85kg class, age 55-59 master's snatch record of 82.5 kilos. Well I did it back on Feb 21 at the 2011 Atlantic States Open in Lynn, Ma with a lift of 83kg on my third attempt. I had never done over 80 in training so it was a quite a surprise to have pulled it off.
I was so focused on achieving this I cut out all kettlebell work the last three months to focus exclusively on the competition lifts. I tried to stay mostly with the Joe Mills template but found I could only handle one session a week of it as the weights started to come within 95% of my 1RM in both lifts and I couldn't recover adequately for the next session. Instead I went to doubles and sometimes even triples training of both lifts on the other days staying in the 80-85% range. I also was able to rejoin my Boston Weightlifting club mates (formally Excel Weightlifting) in their new location at TPS in Everett, MA as the commute there is under 50 min compared to the 90+ to get to Norwood. There coaches Ben Fuller, Yasha Kahn and Matt Delaney were quick to help me correct some bad habits I picked up training alone.
Along with making the 83kg snatch record, I matched my 100kg c&j to total 183kg which gave me a 318 Sinclair (first time I ever broke through 300) and enough for first place master in the heavyweight division (85, 94, 105, 105+). To put the new 83kg NE snatch record in perspective the National snatch record for the same age group and weight class, set by world record master's holder and legend Chris Dariotis, is 101kg. If all goes well I might get close to 90kg someday before age catches up. However the point of choosing to attempt to set the New England record was it was a stretch goal for me and still in the real of possibility given where I was as a lifter and the time available. It helped me focus and grow.
Apart from my personal lifting, it was fantastic being a member of the first place team, Boston Weightlifting, as we continued our roll with now three consecutive 1st place team wins.
Having a specific goal to be achieved in a specific time period was fundamental in focusing my training and then meeting that goal. Knowing the power of such a goal, I have committed to a new goal of breaking the New England C&J record of 113kg by the end of 2012 giving me a year and a half to do it. I have already recently cleaned 104 and front squatted 115 so it doesn't seem quite as daunting as when I set the goal a few weeks ago. This time squatting, and in particular, front squatting returns to my training.
Looking back I've come a long way since November of 2008 when I could barely squat snatch 50kg. I hope to be looking back at this day a few years from now and say the same thing! And hey, did I mention that besides hardwork and dedication, its fun!
Ht: 5'9"
Wt: 185.0 lbs
Age: 57
Started Kettlebell training back in June 2007 and became a certified RKC instructor this past June. Its been one of those rare and incredible life changing events. I am now pursuing the Olympic lifting.
